Samsung to Start Making Bendable Displays for Smartphones in First Half of 2013.

In a bid to differentiate itself from the rivals, Samsung Electronics, one of the world’s largest consumer electronics conglomerates, may start mass production of bendable smartphones next year as one of its subsidiaries is on the final stages of development of flexible AMOLED [active-matrix organic light emitting diode] displays.

Samsung Display, a producer of display panels that belongs to Samsung, is in the last phase of development of flexible displays for mobile devices, which are expected to be released in the first half of next year, a person familiar with the situation revealed to the Wall Street Journal. Bendable displays are virtually unbreakable and naturally provide a lot of opportunities when it comes to creation of innovation shapes of smartphone.

Even though Samsung has already demonstrated flexible displays and mobile phones at Mobile World Congress trade-show, it does not mean that that the actual devices on their base will be as weird as technology showcases. The main advantage which they will like provide will be added crash-worthiness as well as improved usability. While the screens themselves will be able to bend, other electronics components inside smartphones, such as printed-circuit boards or chips, will not be flexible and can be broken.

In any case, such new breed of smartphones will look and feel dramatically differently from devices on the market today, which will grant Samsung ability to completely differentiate its products from competing offerings of other leading makers of mobile electronics, including arch-rival Apple.

Nokia Corp. has also demonstrated flexible mobile phones in 2011, but there is no information when those might reach production. Asustek Computer has also demonstrated concepts of bendable electronics.

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No, I am thinking about having a "groove" in the middle for folding/bending. Electronic stuffs (processors, etc.) on one side of the groove; battery on the other side. Just like a flip phone with continuous screen from the 2 halves.

although it also exists we don't really see super low power Nano Graphene Quantum Dot LED versions yet.
although it will be fun then as you can get a Real "NIH [AA]" retina display as in really "placed on the retina" contact lenses that potentially provide Real 2K/4K/8K super HD stereo display, perhaps even using the German wireless personal/local area/Optical WAN networks using light as its super high data rate transport as it fits perfectly with these super low power nano QD LED and is cheap for mass markets. http://news.discovery.com...less-networks-110816.html

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Although "innovative" most of these so called innovations are SO RUDIMENTARY that they could be bent without isues just to prove concept that every kid if it was let played with those legos could invent.

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4.

But touchscreen as well? I don't think these could (should?) be folded into a crease, but a curve of some sort (as indicated in the example photos). The ability to get a much larger display would be great, though I think the aspect ratio would change significantly. The bracelets look cool! Not that I would wear one, but still....

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You're right there, but then they'll improve touchscreen as well. At least to that measure it could be bent 10k times so its more than three years of usage. and thats more time than phones are in active service. They'll probably stick to glue them together during production of display itself not as some separate procedure as it's done now.

But all other electronics including those for driving such large displays couldnt be bent or they'll produce it in some bendable material just like display ... so the only unbendable thing could be A BATTERY itself. And antenna and its circuitry or they'll invent different kind of communication after all 4G-LTE is last radio broadcast tech. And these shouldnt be in use in next three years and its time for wimaxNG/whatever